The Growth of Trade Chapter 14

Trading Empires of Western Africa The Soninke lived in present day Mali They were early farmers on the banks of the Niger River The became a trading center because of their location (Sahara Desert to the North, Rainforest to the South) The Soninke received salt from the North and gold from the Wangara from South

Ghana The wealth and power of Soninkes led to the creation of the Ghanan Empire Ghana had iron weapons which helped them defeat other groups who had only stone and wood weapons The Ghanaian kings increased the empires wealth by collecting taxes on goods entering and leaving the empire The kings of Ghana held a monopoly of all the gold found in the kingdom

The Growth of Islam Muslim traders began to travel and trade through northern and western Africa The infusion of Muslim culture changed the lives of people living in western Africa Money replaced barter The Arabic language and the religion of Islam was brought to the people of western Africa

Mali and Mansa Musa The Malinkes found Mali Acquired lands that were once part of the Ghana empire Mali became wealthy from the trade of gold and salt (salt was used to preserve meat) Mali’s greatest growth came under the rule of Mansa Musa Musa encouraged Muslim scholars to come to Mali Musa made a religious pilgrimage to Mecca He paid for Mosques to be built in many cities along his journey His hajj made Mali known throughout the known world

Songhai The Songhai became rich by controlling trade routes across the Sahara Desert A large army of soldiers protected the trade routes Songhai became a center of learning Books were created and sold throughout the city They were conquered by Morocco who had guns from southwestern Asia

Trade in the Muslim Empire The Muslim traders brought the Arabic language and Islamic religion to Western Africa Muslim traders used the old Roman Roads The camel was the main mode of transportation used throughout northern Africa Desert travel was dangerous (storms, attacks, or becoming lost) Ideas between the East and West were exchanged by traders Muslim dinars were the currency used throughout the Mediterranean Muslim cartographers made accurate maps to assist in trade The Mongols conquered the Muslims and took over their trade routes

The Silk Road in Mongol Time The Mongols opened up new trade opportunities The Mongols made trade much safer They issued passports granting permission to travel throughout the Empire Italian city-states signed trade treaties with the Mongolians

European Sea Trade Sea trade began to become an integral part of the Silk Road The Byzantine Empire (under Justinian) established a trading city in Constantinople The Byzantine navy used Greek fire to fight off groups who attacked their trade ships The Byzantine Empire controlled the Mediterranean Sea for roughly 500 years The Byzantine Empire tried to stop the Muslims traders from controlling the Mediterranean Sea The Italian city-states began to gain power through trade Eventually the Italian city-states take control of the Mediterranean Sea Many Italian city-states along the coast were based on trade and ship building They held a monopoly on Mediterranean trade for 200 years

The Hanseatic League The Italian city-states lost their Monopoly of the Mediterranean Sea when the Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople Explorers began to look for new trade routes because overland trade became: To expensive, dangerous, time consuming, and was economically inferior to sea trade European city-states began to create alliances with each other to protect their trade routes (Hanseatic League) Eventually European countries begin exploring the Atlantic